I want to keep this to within the last few years - I guess the last couple of generations. The Wii/PS3 era onwards.

Breath of the Wild has made me realise that it's been quite some time that I have been so obsessively engaged with a video game. It made me think exactly which other games I have been so immersed into and obsessed with.

When I define this, I mean an obsession to the point that you simply cannot stop playing it for hours at a time. A game that you are constantly thinking about when you aren't playing it. One that you just had to finish after playing only that game, and not touching any other game in the meantime. Something that you have been completely immersed in like no other game.

This may usually be because of the game's story, which is often a large factor in keeping me glued to a game, but as seen with BotW, this isn't always the case. I can think of only a few of these games that I've been so heavily invested in in the past couple of gens.

The first and most prominent is indeed Breath of the Wild. I don't think I've put so many hours into a single game like this after its release before. I honestly can't recall doing that. It is this game's freedom in the huge world, the sense of wonder and exploration you get, with no hand holding, and constant points of interest, that keep me absorbed into BotW and never wanting to leave it. I've made it an effort to try and find as much as possible without resorting to guides, and whilst that may be impossible for the Koroks, I'm trying my best to do all, or as many, shrines as possible without help. I want this to last, and I want to keep that feeling of adventure like the original game strong with this one for as long as I can.

The next closest would be the Mass Effect trilogy. I have since smashed through the trilogy continuously, one game after the other, finishing all side quests and DLC, and this equates to well over 100 hours, if memory serves right (hundreds when counting all the multiple plays across all three games). I had never been so invested in a game's universe before this, but I can definitely say I have been obsessed with the ME trilogy, its sci-fi world and its characters. Shame Andromeda isn't sounding so hot compared to it, but the originals will always exist.

Life is Strange is the next one. I found this to be a relatable game due to its setting, character ages, the themes it tackles, and the all-around nerdiness vibe. Some of the scenes could really hit home, and I think it's safe to say this is the most emotionally affecting game I've ever played. I have my issues with how they ended it, but nothing can take away from how I couldn't stop playing this through the first four episodes one after the other...and realising my mistake that I then had to wait months for the final episode, which almost broke me.

The final major one I can easily say is The Last of Us. This is another that I just couldn't put down and had to finish in a matter of days. The level of acting was enough to bring me into the world, which itself was so incredibly created. I need to go back and replay this on PS4.

All of the above are ones that have caused me to put tons of hours into them over the course of just a few days, but have been able to keep playing them for weeks. They are all games that I couldn't stop thinking about whilst I was away from playing them - I just wanted to get back to playing. Very few games make me feel like this, but certainly within the last couple of gens, these are my standouts.

Well, I definitely have one. Driving enthusiasts read on, everyone else may want to forego this first one.

iRacing

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, my biggest video-game addiction of my adult life. iRacing is an online racing sim, its subscription based and its basically a unique beast. There's no other racing sim that offers dip in, dip out scheduled races every hour- the only real alternative is joining an online racing league, which is a totally different type of commitment since it's a specific time, just once a week usually.

iRacing offers a range of series, but you can't just leap into whatever you want. There's a very serious, simulative system based on SR (safety rating) - which basically ensures that idiotic drivers can't leap into a significant class of race and ruin it for everyone. So far I've really only touched the road and (predominantly) the oval rookies divisions, which basically is the learners domain where people do stupid things- and a race can be ruined in a second, in a variety of ways. This has to be the way naturally, so people are actually prepared for real sim racing by the time they're promoted.

Despite the idiots on the road though, it's just absolutely amazing. I wasn't a hardcore sim-racing fan until a friend hooked me on this. Now, if I had to give up all games except one, it would without a doubt be iRacing. I'll be reviewing at some point in the near future, since I just finished off my oval rookie-racing career. I logged about 300 hundred races over the space of nine months, which is a lot. I'll save it for the review (of just the oval rookies class) but simply put- one of the greatest virtual experiences I've ever had. Nothing compares to the feeling of a win, and strangely drivers gain perspective on all the wrecks and injustice of when you snag one.

You develop relationships with other drivers, some become friends, others enemies. The physics and realism is basically unparalleled, only the likes of Assetto Corsa competes with the science but not the structure or community aspect. Without a doubt, pound for pound, iRacing is the most exhilarating experience I've ever had from a video-game, winning or losing. I've lost a lot of time to this game recently. It's the closest thing you'll get to real racing, if you don't have the means or desire to go for that.

FIFA

I'm not really capable of naming a particular iteration. But as a student, largely due to so many house-mates also heavily into it- I must have played 400 games per iteration. Anyone who loves football and went to university in Britain will probably understand where I'm coming from- a few housemates into it, three games becomes six, six becomes twelve. How many games did we say we were going play before calling it quits? And of course the drinking game variants of it. Please no. Don't remind me.

I was also very into the online season mode, from FIFA 10/14 I probably logged 200 games each year.

I think in the same sort of "game type" as yours, Dead or Alive 5 is easily my addicted competitive game. Literally hundreds of hours and thousands of matches across its various versions, if memory serves right. DOA is definitely my main one in that sort of FIFA/multiplayer range. Amusingly, despite being a big football fan, I just couldn't get good at FIFA, or any simulation games really, so I've never bothered with it.

I decided to focus on the more story/adventure game-centric ones in my OP, but of course I'm interested in any that others are obsessed with. DOA5 has definitely been an obsession for me, though my play rate has dropped a lot in the last year or so, as we eagerly await DOA6. But I can definitely throw DOA5 in my top 5 for the last two gens for sure.

Childhood ones are a different story, and would require a bit more thought, as I would have to look back some way.

Funnily enough I would say Breath of the Wild hooked me in but my interest has waned ever so slightly. Compared to the other games on my list Zelda doesn't get me so obsessed.

Fire Emblem
Ever since FE came to the west all of the handheld iterations have hooked me from start to finish, while I don't often replay them I have to play with perma-death and I can't let anyone die. With this obsession of having to constantly reset the stage and try again I have logged up countless hours playing FE. The console versions haven't hooked me as strongly, and Heroes hasn't turned me into a 'mobile' gamer yet. Awakening got the best of 100+ hours from me, if only the DLC was cheaper I would invest in this. I am currently going through my Fates Special Edition and this is despite owning a Switch. I have Echoes on pre-order and will most likely rinse this game dry too. Long live FE!

Smash Bros
I am not an online gamer but Smash Bros 3DS turned me into one. (MK7 did to an extent too), what is there to say about this series that hasn't been said already. The sheer amount of unlockables, records, replayability options has kept me hooked. Whenever Smash Bros comes out it always takes over my life and by and large is my favourite Nintendo game.

Metal Gear Solid
If there is a universe that I care about the story then it has to be Metal Gear. While convoluted at times it still has one of the best narratives in any game series I know. Nothing rivals the cinematics, storytelling or excellent score. I do fear for the future of the series...but for me the story effectively finished with MGS4 so i'll treasure the first 4 games.

FIFA/PES/Football Manager
The Strat Man nails this on the head, Between 1997-2011 football games were an absolute staple of my friendships. My interest in football also helps with this obsession of football games. The amount of games that i would have played either by myself or with friends is unfathomable. Similarly with Football Manager, a game that has the power to keep you up all night.

The amount of times I've considered buying a PSVita for FIFA (and MGS) is scary. Luckily FIFA Switch is coming and it'll be a day one purchase for me.

I've straddled these three Football series for the past 20 years and will most likely continue to do so until I die.

Hmm quite a few actually.
Currently it's Breath of the Wild and Horizon Zero Dawn. For very similar reasons actually. A huge intriguing world to explore, lots of diverse quests and things to do. Breath of the wild has more "ooh what's over here", whilst zero dawn has more interesting enemy types (read "running away from angry thuderjaws") and a denser story.

The title I keep going back to over the last year has been Overwatch. I've got about 200+ hours put into that game at the moment for the pure fact that it's fun, easy to enjoy in short bursts, but the most important being, it's bought me and my friends together a few nights a week to all team up and play games.

During uni it was Modern Warfare 2. That game was just pure crack. Plain and simple.

During the Wii/DS era most probably Guitar Hero 3 and Jump Ultimate/Super Stars because they were just all round fun and I put A LOT of time into them.

During the Wii/DS era most probably Guitar Hero 3 and Jump Ultimate/Super Stars because they were just all round fun and I put A LOT of time into them.

I played through JUMP but never got obsessed with it, however Guitar Hero felt like a true addiction. I used to dream about the game, i felt like the scrolling bars were some sort brainwashing/subliminal messaging!

Definitely Breath of the Wild when that released, and most recently a replay through Master Mode, but a notable example is Persona 5. Good god I was addicted to that. Gimme a switch version to play and I'll likely never get off it.